Three Charleston Restaurants with One Surprise Winner:
A quick trip to Charleston, South Carolina, provided a chance to try three restaurants. Husk, Hominy Grill, and Fleet Landing on the wharf. Here’s the executive summary of my personal opinions:
Husk: Great historic old house, contemporary inside, and good service. As for food, well, neither my friends nor I were bowled over. In fact, I wouldn’t be running back, since it was only “ok” and expensive. Perfect example of what I’m talking about was the Lemon Meringue Pie. See the “pie” picture. It was weird and didn’t taste that great-unless you are a fan of freeze-dried ice cream a la Kennedy Space Center souvenir shop. Freeze dried meringue doesn’t jig my jiggers. Although a pretty concoction on the plate, better left as a visual on the plate. Our oysters were good, but the rest of the meal was forgettable. I applaud Husk for taking a stand on progressive Southern-inspired food. And obviously, with the expansion the brand has to other cities, something is working well for them. Husk has a strong reputation, so check it out yourself. Maybe it was an off night.
huskrestaurant.com/home/
Hominy Grill: Another Charleston staple-with more traditional Southern cooking than Husk such as fried chicken and biscuits. Of course, more reasonable pricing, too. Has a café/dinner vibe and loyal customers. Again, “ok” or “good,” not great. Didn’t wow me. Glad I went to check it out. I’ll be looking elsewhere next time.
hominygrill.com
Fleet Landing: On the wharf. This was our big surprise, since the atmosphere was nothing to write home to Mom about. Industrial, warehouse. Someone in the Charleston Marketplace told us to go there for a good lunch. Arriving, we didn’t expect much, since it looked more like a tourist trap than not. We were delighted to discover otherwise. The She-Crab soup hit a Maria-Callas high note with its rich, umami-spectrum of flavors. That is the first place I’m heading back to next time I get off the boat (figure of speech) in Charleston.
fleetlanding.net
